Albuquerque residents claim giant owls are eating their pets

Residents in the foothills of the US city of Albuquerque have claimed that giant owls have moved into the area and are snacking on their small cats and dogs.

A large owl is said to have feasted on small cats and dogs in the city (Picture: Alamy)

It is unknown whether there are more than one of the large owls, which are said to roam the area looking for small animals to feast on.

Pet owners living in the foothills are now concerned and are keeping a close eye on their beloved pooches and cats. ‘We’ve seen him 3 or 4 times. He’s huge. One day when we were walking, he swooped down over my husband’s head. He’s a huge owl,’ said local resident, Cindy Hummel.

One dog owner said she found claw marks on the back of her pet and another said that an owl that lives next to her home killed her puppy.

Marie Iverson described how she heard her dog yelping and when she went out to see what had happened, the puppy had disappeared.

The head zookeeper at Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque spoke to local station News 13 and told them that because owls were night hunters, it would be a good idea for owners to keep their pets in after dark.